


Freedom. Happiness. Clarity.

by aymanderz



Category: The Darkest Minds Series - Alexandra Bracken
Genre: Alexandra Bracken, Never Fade, The Darkest Minds - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-18
Updated: 2014-01-18
Packaged: 2018-01-09 05:00:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1141727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aymanderz/pseuds/aymanderz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just a little something I wrote. Although the 3rd book isn't out yet, this is my own take on what happened post-war.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Freedom. Happiness. Clarity.

After all was said and done, we all lost someone close to us.

The government fought back in ways we never suspected. We didn’t see much because we were too busy running. We were too busy hiding the truth that held the cure because we didn’t know how to set it free. But we heard snippets from car radios.

They were executing our families.

Erasing us completely and trying to create a new human race, aside from those who weren’t blood related to us. The very few that were living. 

The thought of seeing my family again after so long never crossed my mind. We were related by blood. I ached for their warmth, their protection; under the surface, I was damn near desperate for it. But now I can barely remember them.

I knew I would never see them again, so I erased them forever.

But they were back. They were ghosts in the back of my mind, itching to escape. I don’t know if they wanted to break me or hold me.

"Hey Gem, you ready?" Cole leaned against the doorway with that arrogant smile that suddenly made the sides of his eyes crinkle. An everlasting effect of the war.

"Yeah, I’m ready."

I took one last look in the mirror and looped my arm through his as we walked down the staircase and into the backyard.

I was afraid to look up. I was afraid it was a dream. I was afraid that I might have actually had my chance at the one thing I had been missing almost my entire life.

**Freedom. Happiness. Clarity.**

All I saw were the flower pedals wisping along the thick blades of grass with the wind, tickling my naked feet that peaked slightly from under the hem of my dress. 

Cole whispered in my ear, just above the strong sounds of the autumn wind, “I was wrong by nicknaming you Gem. You’re so much more than that.”

I looked up just then, the intensity of his stare reminding me that this wasn’t a dream. This was real. This wasn’t my escape. I would never be able to forget the painful memories of my past. I would have to give that part of my story purpose by filling my life with this unrelenting calmness. This urge to finally stay grounded instead of running. 

Cole kissed the side of my face and nodded to Liam right before he went to stand beside him.

We didn’t need chairs for guests. We had no one left to fill them.

It was just Liam, Cole, and I. 

I finally looked at Liam. Really looked at him. He still had trouble recovering some of the memories that I erased, but he was still my Liam. The Liam I thought I’d lost forever, so many times.

I took Liam’s hand and stood there with him, biting my lip so hard that I swore it was bleeding.

Yes, there were ghosts with us that day. All of our wedding guests were ghosts; memories of people that were shattered for just existing, but they weren’t there to hurt us. 

"Do you, Liam, take this here Ge-, Ruby, to be your sort of lawfully, not that it matters, wedded wife?"

Liam broke his gaze on me to look back at Cole, “Yes, I do.” He nodded, almost breathless with his words.

Then he looked back at me, “I do.” His eyes holding me like his hands did that day in the tunnel; so afraid, but so ready to stick this out until the very end.

"Ruby, do you take my idiot brother-" I leaned over to smack him on the shoulder, almost pushing him over with the strength of the wind on my side. 

Oh god, now I was laughing. I couldn’t help it. 

"Fine!" 

"Do you, Ruby, take Liam to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

I had never loved anyone else. I had never thought about anyone else. It was almost like a rhetorical question. 

"No," I said right before I leaned up to press my lips against Liam’s.

"We don’t need the damn law." I could feel Liam relax at my words.

As Liam and I shared our first wedding kiss, a loud car engine blew out in the near distance.

"Sorry I’m late,"

Liam and I broke apart. Chubs was running towards us now.

"Betty’s been acting up again." 


End file.
